JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan is to bring forward proposals to purchase the Citywest Hotel in Dublin for asylum-seeker accommodation.

The minister got Cabinet approval today to extend the use of the hotel for international protection and Ukrainian applicants for another three months, until the start of September.

This will cost an estimated €17 million to cover lease of the facilities and the provision of services.

Along with the proposal to purchase the 764-bedroom hotel, a detailed value for money appraisal will be brought to government shortly.

There is ongoing engagement between the minister’s Department and the Department of Public Expenditure on the details of the planned purchase of the facility.
The move to purchase the hotel comes as the Department of Justice stepped back from contentious plans to convert the site of the former Crown Paints in Coolock to Ipas accommodation. The site had been at the centre of many protests – some of which turned violent.

The Citywest Transit Hub is used to provide emergency stay-over facilities for approximately 400-450 IP applicants and separately accommodation for 1,350 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection.

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